Why Run It: Billed as the longest running race in the southeast, this 111-year-old event takes runners on a 5.6-mile jaunt through New Orleans, winding through Crescent City and finishing at historic Jackson Square in the French Quarter. In tribute to the route’s historic roots—it follows the same path that Pirate Jean Lafitte and his henchmen took to rescue Andrew Jackson before the Battle of New Orleans in 1815—reenactors dressed as soldiers from the1800s start the race each year. The postrace bash at Natchez Dock overlooks both the Mississippi River and the city, featuring unlimited draft beer plus unique local eats, like jambalaya, king cakes, and baked cheese curls.

“The Disney Marathon was really the first marathon to focus on the race as an experience,” says race director Jon Hughes. Years later, Walt Disney has its experience dialed. Before 20,000 runners pass through all four Walt Disney World parks, entertainers of all stripes—costumed characters, live bands, acrobats, comedians—post up at each half-mile. There’s no need to tote your smartphone: Every character station has a pro photographer assigned to it, but lines may form for midrace pics with the most popular personalities. Luckily, the course has a seven-hour time limit. (Each runner must maintain a 16:00 mile pace throughout the race.) Runners must be in their corrals a half hour before the 5:30 a.m. start time, so prepare for an early morning, and handle your bathroom needs beforehand—there are no porta-potties in the corrals.

Why Run It: Pick your distance—15K, half, 8K or 5K—for this spirited non-profit series that benefits charitable youth organizations and running programs in the Tampa Bay area. The 5K—the most popular distance with more than 12,000 participants—is an out-and-back course along Bayshore Boulevard that borders the Tampa Bay and skirts alongside some of the neighborhood’s most beautiful homes. At the halfway turnaround point, runners are greeted by the Tampa Rough Riders, a crew of costumed cavalry men in a decked out train trolley who dole out beads and a limited supply of donuts. After pivoting, runners will receive another treat: a view of the downtown Tampa skyline that lasts all the way to the finish line.

Why Run It: The route then takes a sightseeing tour through L.A. hotspots, including Hollywood and Chinatown, finishing by the beach in Santa Monica. Mixed in with the tens of thousands of runners and hundreds of thousands of spectators, you may spot a celeb or two. Chef Gordon Ramsay, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin have all crossed the finish line, among many others.

Why Run It: Led by a talent-packed roster of American and international elites, this televised event takes runners on a sightseeing tour of Brooklyn and Manhattan hotspots, with a stint through Times Square. Approximately 1,000 pint-sized athletes from schools across New York City partake in the festivities too, with the NYRR Times Square Youth Run, which is exactly as it sounds: a 1,500-meter sans-traffic jaunt through the Big Apple’s megawatt epicenter.

Why Run It: This point-to-point 10K, which ranks as the third largest 10K in the country and celebrates its 41st year in 2018, takes runners from Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston via the 2.5-mile-long Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the longest cable-stay bridge in North America. Enjoy iconic views of the Charleston low country as more than 20 live bands pack the course, playing everything from jazz to funk to rock to rockabilly, and this year’s event will feature a prerace “Battle of the Bands” contest to determine the group that jams out at the peak of the bridge. Young runners can get in the fun too with the kids run and festival, held the day before at Hampton Park, the largest park in the Charleston peninsula.

Why Run It: Sixteen world records—the most for any road race on the planet—have been set on this multiple loop seaside course that, fittingly, bills itself as the “World’s Fastest 5K.” The route kicks off in Carlsbad Village and brings runners south along the Carlsbad State Beach before doubling back north for a second mini loop past Magee Park. A staggered age-based start system puts elite runners last, which allows the everyday athlete a chance to watch history happen while basking in the Pacific Ocean breeze and sipping suds at the finish line beer garden. World record breakers are honored with a new brew specially crafted and named for them.

Why Run It: The most iconic part of this 10-miler around the National Mall and the Monument Core? “It’s a tie between the cherry blossoms themselves when they’re out and the major national monuments,” says race director Phil Stewart.

Runners start at 15th Street alongside the Washington Monument where they’ll see the Lincoln Memorial to their right and the Capitol dome on their left. Cherry blossom trees dot the course throughout but are at their highest concentration around mile five as runners pass the Jefferson Memorial and then loop around Hains Point underneath a canopy of color (the race is always held in early April to coincide with peak cherry blossom season but of course the blooms aren’t guaranteed ). An out-and-back course means that back-of-the-pack runners can observe the elites, who in the past have included Olympic medalists like Meb Keflezighi and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

Why Run It: This looped 6.2-miler through downtown Austin is the largest 10K in Texas, and the seventh largest in the U.S., but race director Jeff Simecek likes to keep the vibe close to home. “As Austin grows and changes, I work hard to make sure we keep the local flavor a big part of the event,” he says.

Case-in-point: a costume contest with six different categories, including “Spirit of Texas,” “The Armadillo,” and “Super & Everyday Heroes,” as well as live, local music at more than seven spots along the course, which begins on Congress Avenue Bridge and finishes in Vic Mathias Shores, an urban park overlooking downtown Austin. The Finish Line Festival features more live tunes, local food trucks, a beer and Bloody Mary garden, a dronie station (selfies, but taken with a drone), a massage tent, and photo booths.

Why Run It: The world’s oldest annual marathon is also one of the toughest to get into. You will either need to clock a qualifying time or nab a highly coveted charity bib. But once you’ve secured a spot, you’ll tread over 26.2 miles of running history. On the point-to-point course from the suburb of Hopkinton to the Boylston Street finish line, thousands of spectators celebrating Patriots’ Day will guide you. You’ll especially need their support near mile 20, the start of the infamous half-mile long Heartbreak Hill.

Why Run It: This 10K takes over New Orleans on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. The fast, point-to-point course starts in front of the Superdome, home of the Saints. Between miles 1 and 2, runners pass the historical Jackson Square then make their way through the French Quarter and up Esplanade Avenue to the stunning City Park. The postrace festival features local cuisine, drinks, and live music from some of the city’s most prominent bands.

When you think bucket list races, Big Sur should be near the top of the list. This point-to-point course closes down Highway 1 in California. You will start among the giant Redwoods in Big Sur and work your way onto one of the most scenic marathon routes in the country. At the halfway point you go over the iconic Bixby Bridge, where your reward at the top of a giant uphill is a piano player serenading you (of course).

Why Run It: More than 80 entertainment groups and spirit squads line the course of this fairly flat half marathon that ranks within the top 20 largest road races in the U.S. The route includes a full 2.5-mile lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning right before mile six, where many runners follow the Indy 500 tradition of smooching the bricks at the speedway’s start and finish line.

Another highlight: “Victory Mile, ” the final leg of the race. It starts as runners cross the White River at mile 12 and begin to spot the telltale black-and-white checkered flags and hear the roar of the crowds. Festivities continue at the postrace party in Military Park, which is open to runners and spectators and includes live tunes, a live video feed of the race, and food from local restaurants.

Why Run It: This historic 12K was born during the running boom in 1977 when local runner and 1976 Olympian Don Kardong suggested the city should have a downtown run of its own; 1,000 runners finished in the inaugural event. It’s since grown into the nation’s fourth largest road race, attracting more than 42,000 runners. The hilly course features two tough inclines. While some consider Cemetery Hill between mile 2 and 3 the most challenging part of the course, most give that honor to Doomsday Hill located between mile 4 and mile 5. To get you through those tough spots, there are over 25 bands playing tunes from almost every genre of music along the way.

Why Run It: This fast, slightly downhill 10-mile point-to-point course charts through Philly’s varied neighborhoods via Broad Street, beginning in North Philly’s Logan neighborhood row homes, passing through Temple University's campus, and then Center City, City Hall, and the Avenue of the Arts. Runners will also breeze by sports stadiums for the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and the Sixers before finishing on the Marine Parade Grounds in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where ships and cheering crowds await. Support is provided along the route as well in the form of music groups, high school bands, cheerleading squads, church choirs, and drill teams.

Why Run It: “Purely San Francisco.” That’s how Chris Holmes, the General Manager of Bay to Breakers, describes the vibe of this 106-year-old 12K race, which bills itself as one of the oldest consecutively run annual footraces in the world. The hilly course (beware of Hayes Street Hill, a 0.69-mile, 5.5-percent grade stretch beginning at mile two) weaves west through the city and passes through nine different neighborhoods to finish at the Great Highway along the Pacific Coast’s Ocean Beach.

Approximately 200,000 spectators cheer on the pack and take in the uber-creative, downright weird, and larger-than-life costumes that runners are known to wear. Highlights from the 2016 race included a two-person Golden Gate Bridge get-up, a gaggle of snow globes in which each person was enclosed in a plastic dome and surrounded by props tied to specific locations (like Las Vegas and Paris), and a runner dressed as a Golden State Warrior while carrying a 10-foot-tall basketball hoop on his shoulders the entire course. Similar amusing get-ups are expected for 2018's race.

Why Run It: This Memorial Day weekend race kicks off in the shadows of Soldier Field’s famed colonnades before taking runners on a vehicle-free jaunt down Lake Shore Drive. The turnaround at mile five provides a sweeping view of the city’s skyline and pivots runners back towards Chicago’s Museum Campus for the 50-yard-line stadium finish, complete with uniformed members of the U.S. Armed Forces hanging medals around each participant’s neck. Postrace tailgating on the nearby Stadium Green features food, beer, two hours of live music, and clear views of Lake Michigan.

Why Run It: As the third largest road race in the U.S., everything about this event is big—from the lineup of 35-plus on-course entertainment groups to the roaring finish inside the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field in front of 70,000 spectators to the postrace Memorial Day tribute featuring an F-16 flyover and skydivers carrying flags for each branch of the military.

The course itself is a moderately hilly high-altitude journey starting alongside Boulder’s outdoor Twenty Ninth Street mall and weaving through tree-lined neighborhoods, where spectators are known for their enthusiastic (and often eccentric) cheering. Highlights include Elvis at mile two, belly dancers on Casey Hill at mile four and “Ms. Tutu,” a cheerleader who has been a mainstay alongside the course since 1979. Runners can enjoy even more fresh-air Boulder festivities at the annual Creek Festival, a three-day extravaganza of local food, drink, vendors, carnival rides, and live music hosted that weekend.

Why Run It: This treacherous 7.4-mile cross-country competition—the oldest trail race in America and the country’s second oldest footrace behind the Boston Marathon—follows the historic Dispea Trail over hills, dales, and three flights of steep stairs to eventually climb to a peak elevation of 1,360 feet—the equivalent of a 50-story building. Runners continue through Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area before finishing at Stinson Beach where they can dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean. A staggered start system that awards runners “head start” minutes based on age and gender makes the race anyone’s game.

Winners from the last three years include a 59-year-old retiree, 55-year-old former Olympian Diana Fitzpatrick, and a 72-year-old. Registration is capped at 1,500, and there’s always a waiting list, sometimes up to 600 applicants. The trick to snagging a bib?

“We encourage applicants to write ‘sob stories’—personal reasons why they are inspired to compete in the Dipsea—when they apply,” says Dave Albee, communications director for the race.

Why Run It: This 104-year-old race—one of the oldest footraces in the U.S.—is an approximately three-mile climb and descent on Mount Marathon, complete with cliffs, scree fields, and waterfalls. Rookies beware: the steepness, measured from the base to the lip of the mountain just before the turnaround rock, averages 34 degrees, and runners are encouraged to wear gloves for the descent (described as more dangerous than the uphill), so that they can use their hands and feet to “crab walk” facing forward.

Because these conditions are not for the average 5Ker, first-timers must complete the entire course prior to race day. But the treacherous trail is countered by stunning scenery along the route and at the peak. Think: vibrant green and snow-capped mountains, glacial cirques, and sparkling blue waters in the Gulf of Alaska.

Why Run It: Upwards of 150,000 spectators plus four radio broadcasts along the course rally runners as they wind their way through Buckhead into midtown Atlanta in this 49-year-old Independence Day race, the largest 10K in the world. A recurring cheerleader is Dean Sam Candler, who sprinkles runners with “holy water” outside the Cathedral of St. Philip around mile two. The support is especially needed about half a mile later as runners tackle Cardiac Hill, which rises more than 120 feet in approximately 0.75 miles.

While conquering Cardiac, participants are cheered by patients at the Shepherd Center, which specializes in spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. The race then wraps in Piedmont Park, Atlanta’s largest park and the site of the postrace party, where both finishers and spectators enjoy a DJ, awards show, and local food.

Why Run It: Celebrating its 42nd anniversary in 2018, this hilly course is billed as a big city event held in a small town. The 15K is the premier event of the weekend, attracting national caliber elites. Along with panoramic views signature to upstate New York, the Boilermaker is known for its spectator support and challenging inclines. You’ll be in elite company as you wind through downtown Utica. Kathrine Switzer, Bill Rodgers, and 2017 Boston Marathon winner Edna Kipligat have shown up in past years.

Why Run It: The fastest race in Pittsburgh kicks off at 7 p.m., making it the city’s only nighttime downtown road race. With a variety of one-mile races for participants to choose from, such as the Youth One for Fun Mile and the Youth Pup Trot Mile, there is something for the entire family. Last year, the oldest runner was 75 years old, and the youngest runner was 3 years old. The certified, looped course starts on Penn Avenue in the heart of the Cultural District. Racers then make a turn onto 11th Street, and another quick turn onto Liberty Street for the final stretch. The start and finish lines are only a block apart, so spectators can catch both the beginning and the end—if they move quickly. After the masses finish, runners and spectators can watch the pro athletes battle it out for a hefty purse.

Why Run It: This out-and-back race through downtown Davenport is rife with seriously steep hills. “It’s only seven miles long, but feels more like you’re doing a marathon,” says Ed Froehlich, race director for the past 38 years.

The challenge begins immediately with Brady Street Hill, the most severe and longest incline—a seven to nine percent grade for approximately a third of a mile—that’s stationed just after the starting line. Another doozy, McClellan Boulevard hill, arrives at the turnaround point. The event celebrates its 45th year in 2019, and owes much of its success—and popularity with elites—to distance runner Bill Rodgers who joined the race in 1980 in lieu of the boycotted Moscow Olympics. Since then, the race regularly draws top talent from around the globe, including Joan Benoit Samuelson and Meb Keflezighi, who compete yearly alongside Rodgers.

Why Run It: This fast, point-to-point seaside 10K—founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the first-ever women’s marathon in the 1984 Olympics—kicks off near Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth. The winding route takes runners along tree-lined roads with panoramic Atlantic Ocean vistas. A fire truck aerial ladder arch displaying the American flag marks the midway point, and a hairpin turn around mile six leads runners up a steep path before wrapping around into a homestretch that includes views of Casco Bay and the Portland Head Light, the nation’s first commissioned lighthouse and also the most photographed lighthouse in America. Samuelson herself greets runners at the finish line.

Why Run It: This 7-mile course is nearly completely seaside, beginning in Woods Hole with the first three miles on narrow, hilly, winding and tree-shaded roads. The most iconic part, according to the race’s general manager Jennifer Edwards, comes right after mile one when runners pass Nobska Light, a picturesque, historic lighthouse perched on the southwestern tip of Cape Cod and overlooking Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands.

The final four miles open up on the flat right alongside Martha’s Vineyard Sound, where a small steep hill indicates the final half-mile of the race. As runners crest the hill, they’ll see a giant American flag flying overhead, and they can see themselves cross the finish on the JumboTron. From there, the race is all downhill to the finish along Falmouth Heights Beach.

Why Run It: In this point-to-point course, you’ll tour two cities for the price of one. The race starts in downtown Minneapolis, then crosses the Mississippi River into St. Paul, where you’ll finish at the State Capitol Grounds. The course bills itself as the most beautiful urban marathon in the country, and it might just live up to the hype; the route loops around four lakes and parallels the river, giving runners a nature fix in the middle of two big cities.

Why Run It: Nearly 4.5 miles of this 10K point-to-point course take place over water on the dual-span Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which reaches 186 feet at its tallest point. The race begins on the western shore of the bay with a steady (but not overly steep) climb for approximately 1.7 miles to the midpoint of the bridge, where runners will see 360-degree vistas of water dotted with sailboats and cargo ships. The course continues across the eastbound span of the bridge to finish near Terrapin Nature Park, a 276-acre expanse in Queen Anne’s County. Postrace festivities include food, an all-you-can-drink beer offering, and a free live concert for both runners and spectators.

Why Run It: Entering its 35th year, this 10-miler is staffed by more than 600 active-duty soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment. The race starts and finishes at the Pentagon, and follows a scenic route through the Nation’s Capitol. Runners cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which features spectacular views of the Potomac River, then pass a handful of national monuments including the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Roughly 35,000 military personnel, runners, and spectators mingle out front of the Pentagon at the postrace party.

Why Run It: There’s not a single spot on the course without spectators, as 1.7 million of them line Chicago’s streets to encourage runners. The course winds through 29 neighborhoods, giving you a run-by tour of can’t-miss spots like Wrigley Field, Chinatown, and Lake Michigan. (Learn more about the Windy City’s best running locations.) Don’t forget to snap a photo in front of the famous Bean (a giant reflective sculpture shaped like a legume) after the postrace party, which takes place in the 319-acre Grant Park.

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